While classes were technically in session, the opening ceremony ate up far too much time for there to be full lessons.
So the itinerary for each class was merely a brief introduction.
The whole thing was little more than a glorified orientation and in Catherine's opinion a huge waste of time.
The same effect could have been accomplished with a grace period and a map of the school.
In the essence of saving even more time, Catherine theorized that the dean's meandering speech could've been a newsletter.
On second thought, maybe not. Committing that drivel to writing would be a grave waste of paper. She thought.
Catherine tapped her fingers on the large oak table. Various implements of Chemistry were organized neatly across its top, however, no chemicals were present as of yet.
The tables were lined in five rows of four starting from the front of the class. The front was occupied by the professor who was currently droning on about something or other while occasionally pointing to the blackboard.
To the right of Catherine was Alice, and in the front of them another pair of girls, adorned in the school uniform.
She couldn't see the girls' faces as they were looking at the front of the class, but Catherine could tell by their posture that they were as bored as she was.
She couldn't even flip through (or better yet doodle) in her textbook because didn't have access to it.
The Academy didn't have lockers, rather your assigned desk came equipped with a drawer for the explicit purpose of housing textbooks.
This was true for every class save for this one, as the large fire-resistant tables lacked compartments.
Instead, the textbooks were placed in separate cupboards at the back of the class and since they weren't needed today the students weren't permitted to get them.
Catherine fetched the key she was given out of her small handbag. Thankfully there wasn't a separate one for each class as this key would fit the lock of any of her compartments.
She hadn't sorted the books herself, a servant had done it for her this morning, and later on, the key was handed off to her.
Alice hadn't been so lucky to afford that privilege. If that were the case she could've avoided her folly this morning.
I guess the prospect of her being wealthy would have ruined the whole premise of the game. Catherine thought listlessly.
She played with the key in her hand a bit before putting it back into a small purse. While doing so Catherine spied her cigarette case.
Now that would have gone a long way into improving her mood. Unfortunately, there was no smoking allowed in the building, not out of health concern, but because it was "distracting."
Just as Catherine had resigned herself to being bored, someone caught her eye.
The man looked unassuming enough. Tall, lanky with slightly unkempt dirty blonde hair. He wore a pair of oval-shaped spectacles, but judging by how thin the lenses were he probably could have gotten by without them.
Most people would've glossed over him, but Catherine recognized the man as Oscar Wraith. His presence was unmistakable, she'd seen his ugly mug countless times. He was one of the suitors from Love and Malice.
Unfortunately, his presence did not improve her mood. On the contrary, it had the opposite effect.
Great, now I have the privilege of dealing with this jerk first thing every day.
Oscar Wraith had the distinct honor of being Claire's most hated suitor in the entire game. He was the archetypal "tsundere" type character, and not even in a funny way. He was just straight-up mean.
She'd always hated the tsundere trope, the idea of putting up with a laundry list of bad traits to see "the real" person underneath was preposterous to her.
Maybe as Claire, she'd taken far too much real abuse to get the appeal, but the idea of someone being outwardly hostile to the person they like just pissed her off.
Inspecting him closer, Catherine noticed that he was shooting glances at her table. Though it was clear that he was looking solely at Alice, the rest of the occupants at the table might as well have been invisible.
"Well, it seems I've come to the end of what I have to say. Keep these things in mind and you're sure to do well," said the professor.
He pulled out his pocket watch and squinted at it.
"It seems like we still have a few minutes until the next period, feel free to talk among yourselves."
He then sauntered over to his desk and began rummaging through papers. No doubt in an attempt to be prepared for the start of the curriculum.
"Thank god that's over," said Catherine exasperated.
"That's a tad rude," Alice responded. "But I agree that it wasn't particularly interesting."
The two other girls at the table kept their mouths shut, astonished at the boldness of the brown-haired girl for even slightly telling off the Blackwood tyrant.
But once Catherine seemed to take it in good humor they became befuddled.
"I think I'm justified in being a bit rude," said Catherine. "If his actual teachings are as meandering and dull as this were in trouble."
Alice couldn't help but laugh a little at this, brightening Catharine's mood a bit.
Any improvements were immediately dashed when Catherine realized Oscar was coming right toward their table.
"So this is the prodigal commoner," he sneered. "Don't get a big head just because you managed to get in."
He pointed to Alice for effect.
"That exam was child's play, I did it on a whim, and completed it with no trouble whatsoever."
Alice looked down, her face flush with embarrassment.
Oscar only managed to get his digs because he had blindsided Catherine, but now his time was up.
She bolted out of her seat and laid into him.
"That's quite enough you swine!" Catherine yelled.
If this wasn't a spectacle before it sure was now.
"Oh if isn't little Miss Blackwood-"
Catherine got up in his face, cutting him off.
"Zip it! Cretins such as yourself aren't allowed to say my family name." She Crossed her arms. "It would sully it far too much."
Oscar was now red in the face with rage.
"How dare you talk to me in such a manner, do you know who I am?"
"Unfortunately," Catherine said with disgust.
"Well, then you know how important my family is."
"Family this family that, whatever," she narrowed her eyes "It doesn't change the fact that you're slime."
Oscar's rage left him unable to comment, Catherine had that effect on the pig-headed.
"Now, apologize to Alice."
"Why would I do such a thing?" Oscar scoffed.
"Well for one thing you've insulted her intelligence, while your own cognitive abilities are far lesser," Catherine said plainly.
"How do you figure that?" he said through gritted teeth.
"Well considering how "well to do" your family is, as you so graciously pointed out earlier. You've had only the best in terms of education."
She continued, "private schools, tutors, and all the time in the world to study."
"I was well-bred, so what of it?" Oscar interjected.
Catherine smiled devilishly, "What you call 'breading' I call pampering."
Catherine pointed at Alice.
"She was able to pass the exam without any such advantages."
"So what!?" Oscar asked impatiently.
"So, while your intelligence was only able to be cultivated from your background, Alice here is naturally gifted."
She wasn't done insulting him there.
"Furthermore this effectively means you're nothing without your upbringing," Catherine twisted the knife further.
"You'd be nowhere without the wealth and influence that was built up by other people."
Oscar was distraught, he directed his rage downward toward Catherine.
He was a good few inches taller than her, but given his physique, it looked like a strong gust could do him in.
"What about you then? How can you come to me with such preposterous ideas, while you're in the same boat?" He said clenching his fist. "It makes you nothing but a damn hypocrite!"
Catherine smiled, amused at the idea that Oscar thought he'd caught her in some sort of logical fallacy.
"Oh, I acknowledge the fact I was born into a life of luxury. On the other hand, I don't make a habit of being a precocious braggart, flaunting it as if I had personally built up my family name."
Oscar didn't have any more retorts for this line of logic, so like a wounded animal, he bags grasping at straws.
"Well…I doubt the legitimacy of this commoner's test in the first place."
He placed undue emphasis on the word "commoner" in an attempt to emphasize his status.
"I'd hazard a guess that they just passed her to placate the rest of the peasants."
Oscar's boldness was wavering. It sounded as if he was also trying to convince himself of this scenario.
Catherine openly laughed in his face.
"Oh so now you're calling into question the legitimacy of the Academy itself?" Catherine said skeptically. "Do you have any evidence for such a grave claim?"
Oscar was starting to look nervous. No one would care about slander directed at a commoner, but insulting the prestige of the academy itself was another matter entirely.
"Well, Uh, not exactly…but it would stand to reason-."
Catherine cut him off.
"Listen here, you idiot. Nothing of the half-baked drivel you've just spouted off could possibly "stand to reason"
Her eyes bore into him.
"Furthermore, you and I both know the express purpose of the test is keeping commoners out of this academy. Your attitude towards Alice here is all the evidence needed as to why that is."
Catherine poked Oscar hard in the chest, continuing to speak without removing her finger.
"So are you going to continue to play dumb or are you going to apologize to Alice?"
Oscar chose neither and instead stormed out of the room in a blind rage.
The professor made no attempt to stop him, in fact, he'd made no attempt to stop the altercation entirely.
He wasn't about to stick his foot into a dispute between two influential nobles, best let them sort it out themselves.
However, the professor did jump up from his desk when he noticed the time.
"Alright class dismissed." He said succinctly.
Catherine smiled down at Alice offering her hand.
"Well, shall we be along for our next class?"